


Options

by odat



Category: Neko no Ongaeshi | The Cat Returns, Soul Eater
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-26
Updated: 2013-03-26
Packaged: 2017-12-06 13:04:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/736035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/odat/pseuds/odat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Listen, you've got two choices. Either I eat your soul, binding you to me, or they eat your soul effectively killing you."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Options

**Author's Note:**

> This is very loosely based off The Cat Returns. If you haven't seen it, this will make sense but you're missing out. Wrote this using a prompt from the ever lovely GlitterGoat.

"Listen, you've got two choices. Either I eat your soul, binding you to me, or they eat your soul effectively killing you."

"Will it hurt?" Her hands were clutched to her chest, green eyes wide.

Soul blanked, "I don't know." The tea and pastries that had been set out were completely forgotten.

"And if I'm bound to you, what does that mean?" Her mascara was smeared under her eyes from when she'd been rubbing them in disbelief.

"You'll be my partner." He was irritated and tired, but she'd found him and needed help. Maka nodded.

"I don't want to die."

"No one ever does." His voice was lukewarm as he placed a hand to her chest. She didn't cry out when his hand sank into her, but her eyes glistened with tears when he pulled out her warmly lit blue soul. Her gasp was quiet, almost a sigh and her eyes slipped shut; Soul was glad for it, no one should ever have to watch their own soul be eaten. He swallowed quickly, not taking the time to savor the feel as he usually would, he needed to work fast.

He kissed her, breathing life back into her body, and forcing her to kiss him back to form the bond. His teeth were sharp against her lips but his tongue was hot on the roof of her mouth. The girl shuddered and clutched at his arms panicked. Soul pulled back until he was just barely brushing their lips together. Small tremors were still running through her so Soul picked up the worn purple blanket that had been kicked off the couch from his nap and wrapped her in it. Her teeth had started to chatter and Soul could feel just how close she was to losing her calm.

Gently he wrapped an arm around her pulling her to him she snuggled into his side with a small hiccup. Soul leaned back and propped his feet up on the coffee table jarring coins, books, several pairs of glasses, and supplies for his various endeavors. When she'd fallen asleep he placed a gentle kiss to the crown of her head. "You'll be safe with me."

Fourteen Years Later

"Blair! We're home!" The little black cat figurine in the corner sparkled and popped, before bounding over to them to rub against their ankles. Maka kneeled down to pet the cat, it had taken her a while to get used to the idea of statues with souls, but now that she technically was one as well she didn't give it too much thought. Soul smiled as he put his coat on the coatrack, he could count the number of times she had called the bureau "home" on one hand even after living there for fourteen years.

"That was one of the stranger cases we've helped on." She muttered while unbuckling her boots.

"Yours is still the weirdest." She threw one of her white gloves at him, he caught it and tried to hide his wince behind a smirk. He started to walk towards the kitchen, they hadn't eaten since noon the day before and he was starving.

"Oh no, where do you think you're going? I know your shoulder is still bothering you." Maka called out after him.

"Damn it, I'm fine." He called back, all Soul wanted was a vat of mac and cheese and a good night's rest, preferably not on the couch. You'd think after decades he'd know better than to sleep on the too short couch but every time he sat down he ended up falling asleep on it.

"No, you're not." She poked his shoulder blade and Soul barely stifled his yelp. He wasn't sure when she'd snuck up behind him, Maka must have been taking lessons from Black*Star, she was getting better.

"Just let me make dinner and then you can torture me alright? Go read a book or something." Soul grumbled but Maka left him alone. He brought out two heaping bowls and offered her one. Dinner was mostly quiet, save for the occasional comment about the case.

"Alright now will you let me see your shoulder? It's hurting so much that I can feel it in mine." One of the side effects of eating her soul had been transfers of emotions and either physical pain or pleasure. They were usually able to keep it down, and Soul could feel her better than she could feel him. He grumbled but unbuttoned his vest and shirt and turned his back to her. Maka was gentle as she worked the knots out of his muscles from around the bruise. "You really need to stop sleeping on the couch." Soul just grunted.

"You said home again." Her soul was fluttering against his and her knuckles stopped kneading his lower back.

"Slip of the tongue." Maka tried to brush it off and distract him by massaging his neck.

"It wasn't and you know it." He said. Their partnership had been purely professional with her accompanying him on cases and learning the trade over the past fourteen years. But he held her soul and Soul swore there were some days that he knew her better than she did. He'd never pinpointed exactly when he'd fallen in love with her, but Maka had gone from an annoying green eyed bookworm to his annoying green eyed bookworm. It was an important difference and it irritated him that she'd gotten not just under his skin but all the way into his heart.

He'd been careful to keep his feelings to himself, he had a cool guy reputation to uphold, and it wasn't fair to her. She was bound to him, Soul didn't want to force her or make her feel obligated to love him back. But more and more, her soul had sought his for comfort and he could feel her flutter and blush when he grinned at her.

He glanced at her over his shoulder, her hands were still resting on his back and his shoulder felt much better. She wasn't look at him when she whispered, "Would you do it again?"

"What? Save you? Don't I do that constantly?" She'd caused a fair amount of trouble and Soul had found himself getting between her and harms way on numerous occasions. Her head was bowed and she said something so softly that he didn't catch it. Her soul was quivering, like she wanted to touch him but didn't know how at the same time. Soul turned and her hands fell to her lap, he nudged her chin up gently to look her in the eyes wondering what was going on.

"Kiss me."

He blinked once and she pulled away. "Sorry. Don't know what came over me. God I'm stupid. I mean that was stupid. I'm going to bed. Don't fall asleep on the couch ok?" Her voice was thick with tears and she was looking everywhere except at him.

"Maka." She stopped, his hand caught her wrist and he tugged just hard enough to unbalance her. She landed in his lap as gracefully as a sack of flour but any embarrassment was ignored when his lips brushed hers. He hadn't kissed her since he'd eaten her soul and as much as he wanted to make up for lost time he was gentle. Time moved differently for them, the world outside was faster and they aged differently. They were shy and slow to explore, but each pass was tender and loving in a way she had never imagined. Soul's arms were comforting and warm even through her uniform. He smiled against her lips and pulled her down to lie on top of him on the couch.

They continued to kiss lazily, whispering little secrets against the other's skin, and basking in the warmth. Maka sighed when he moved to her neck, running his sharp teeth over her skin just hard enough to mark her. "In case anyone ever has any doubts that you are mine." She shuddered and nodded. Soul felt around on the floor until he grasped the even older and more threadbare purple blanket and tossed it over them.

After another night of sleeping on the couch Soul woke up in the morning with a crick in his neck and a sore back, but his annoying green eyed bookworm was asleep on his chest and her soul was snuggled up against his, completely content.


End file.
